Gap-closing attachment for knitting-machines



F. W. ROBINSON. GAP CLOSING ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-7. 1918.

1,357,252, Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

Maw I? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK vW'. ROBINSON, OF READING, PENNSY L VANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE NOLDE & HQRST 00., READING, PENNSYLVANIA, A GORPQRATION 'OF PENNSYLVANIA.

, lncident to unintended swinging or flirt- GAP-CLOSING ATTACHMENT FOB KNITTING-MACHINES.

Application filed August 7,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK ROBINSON,

of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Gap-Closing "Attachments for Knitting -.Machines, of-

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to knitting machines employing a latch guard ring having a gap for receiving themovable yarn-guide members ordinarily employed; and its consists in improved means for automatically closing such gap so as to positively avoid the danger of needle breakage ing of the latches. The invention is fully described in connection with the accompanying drawing, and the novel features are particularly defined in the subjoined claims.

Figure 1 is a plan view showing my invention applied as anattachment to anordi nary form of latch guard ring; one only of the series of cooperating yarn guides emploved being shown.

ig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow; the gap-closing bar being shown in retracted position, but its gap-closing position being also indicated by dotted lines.

' Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figs. 1 and 2; the gap-closing bar being represented as swung into the gap.-

The latch ring A is shown in well known form, with a gap C in its inner circle extending between parallel arms G C which latter carry a series of automatically operated members, as 13, mounted upon a pivot pin 0 and'having their inner ends, corne' monly formed as thread carriers, adapted to be lowered into said. gaps. Only one of these pivotally movable members B is indicated, the number employed depending commonly upon the number of threads for which provision is made; andthere is no showing of the cam-controlled operating means employed for moving the respective numbers into and out of operating position,

exceptin the single contacting lever indicated at inasmuch as such meansare well known and readily adapted to automatically effect the required movements.

The action of the latch ring A ,upon the inclosed series of knitting needle latches.

and the general purpose of providing for Specification of Letters Patent.

1 Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

1918. Serial NO. 248,711.

' closure of the thread uide gap C therein.

are well understood. y improved means for effecting such closure comprises primarily a novel form and arrangement of the gap-closing device and secondarily for the operationof said device by one of the pivoted members which are arranged to swing into and out-of the gap C, and more particularly by that one of said members which serves as a carrier for the high-splice thread'commonly employed. This operating member as represented is a special form of high splice thread carrier such as is set forth in my Patent 1,291,155, 'dated'J an. 14:, 1919, but such special form is not essential to the present invention which contem lates even the employment of a similarly plv'oted non-thread carrying member as a special operating member, but the. employment of the high-splice thread carrier member for such purpose is preferred, because I have found. it may be "so used simply and satisfactorily inasmuch as it is normally'raised out of action during reciprocating knitting, at which times only there is such danger of flirting the needle latches as calls for the closing ofthe gap C to prevent breakage.

My improved gap-closing means comprises, as shown, a combined lever E and gap-closing bar D, mounted on a pivotal support'e in a latch ring bracket a which overhangs the gap C; and a movable member B especially adapted to operate said combined lever and bar incidentally with the thread-controllilig movement thereof; the gap-closing bar being approximately arcshaped around therpivot point e as shown,

and being adapted to swing in a slot a pro vided in the latch ring, and across the gap C from oge side thereof toward the other, as indicated by the dotted position D, when the lever portion E is operated by said movable member B. I

The gap-closing bar D isnormally swung to retracted position by means of a suitable light spring f soas to leave the gap G'open; said spring being indicated as wound around the pivotal support 6 with its extending ends connected re ,ectively' to the pivote lever E and the fixedrbracket a. The movable member B which I show as adapted to swing it across the gap to dotted position D, is preferably the one used to carry the usual high-splice thread into or out of operating position in the gap C; and the lever v F contacting therewith may be operated by a cam such as it iscommonly employed to properly position such thread though in practice I find it advantageous to provide such cam with an additional step whereby the member B. may be raised sufficiently only to throw its thread out of action and permit required adjustment oftheother carriers, preliminary to being raised fully to operate the gap-closing device. The bar D, when swung into gap-closing position, passes under the raised members and over the lowered ones.

A yielding contact is preferably provided for between the yarn guide B and the lever portion E of the gap-closing device, by se-' curing a relatively strong spring I) to the body of the thread guide, so that the free end of said spring will contact with the lever and overcome the tension of the lighter spring f which serves to normally retract the bar D; the action being thus made desirably smooth. The improved attachment is very simple and satisfactory in -construc-' tion, application and operation.

What I claim is;

1. In a knitting 'machine the combination with aplurality of pivotally operated members and a latch ring having a thread-guide gap, of a single gap-closing arc-bar mounted on said ring above said gap, and means for automatically swinging said bar across the whole gap.

2. In a knitting machine the combination with a plurality of pivotally operatedmembers and a latch ring having a thread-guide gap,. of a gap closing device pivotally mounted on said ring above said gap and provided with a spring for normally swing.

ing it to retracted position; and means for automatically swinging it to gap-closing position.

v 3. In a knitting machine the combination with a plurality of pivotally operated members and a late ring having a thread-guide gap, of a gap-closing"dev1ce pivotally mounted on said ring above said gap, one of said members being adapted to contact withsaid device so as to swing it across the gap.

4. In a knlttlng machine the combination with a plurality ofpivotally. operated memprovided with a spring for normally swinging it to. retracted position; one of said movable members having a spring attachment arranged to yieldingly engage said spring retracted device and swing it to gapclosing position.

6. In a knitting machine the combination with a plurality of pivotally operated members and a latch ring having a thread-guide gap, of a single gap-closingarc-bar pivotally mounted on said ring above said gap, one of said members beingadaptedto con-- tact with said bar, and the latter being adapted to swing across the whole gap under-said contacting member and above the lowered members.

7. In a knitting machlne the combination mounted on said ring above said gap and with a plurality of pivotally operated members and a latch ring having a thread-guide gap, of a gap-closing device comprising a lever portion pivoted to said ring above said gap and a gap-closing arc-bar, and a spring 1 for normally retracting said bar; one of said movable members carryinga stronger spring adapted to contact with said lever and swing said bar across the gap, substantially as set forth.

8. In a knitting machine the combination with a plurality of pivotally operated members comprising a high-splice thread guide member, and a latch ring havinga:thread-. guide gap, of a gap-closing device pivotally mounted on said ring above said gapand operatively engaged by said high-splice v threadguide member so as to throw it into gap-closing position.

' In testimony whereof I afiix signature.

FRANK W.--RoB1 Ns'oN. 

